1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to coaxial connectors for terminating coaxial cable. Specifically, the present invention relates to dielectric plugs for such connectors, and the components of the connector assembly which incorporate the dielectric plugs.
2. The Prior Art
Available coaxial connectors generally comprise an outer shell body which is electrically connected to the outer conductor of a coaxial cable, and an inner center contact which electrically terminates the center conductor of the cable. Typically, the center contact is separated and electrically isolated from the outer connector shell by a dielectric plug which is press inserted into the connector shell body. Accordingly, the dielectric plugs for such assemblies must be sufficiently resilient to facilitate a press insertion and retention within the connector shell, and to further facilitate receipt and retention of the center contact within the dielectric plug axial bore. An example of presently available dielectric plug structure is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,678,447, which therein discloses a dielectric plug which is intended for press insertion into an outer connector shell. The dielectric plug also receives a center contact therethrough, with the center contact having an annular skirt which bites into the dielectric plug to thereby retain the center contact in place. While this approach has been accepted by the industry, the interference engagement between the dielectric plug and the connector shell, coupled with the press insertion of the center contact into the dielectric plug has been found to result in damage to components during assembly due to high insertion forces. Specifically, presently structured dielectric plugs do not provide a sufficient resiliency to facilitate their press insertion into connector shells, and consequently structural damage to the plug components often results. Also, present dielectric plugs do not provide a sufficient resiliency to facilitate receipt of the center contact therethrough, without damaging either the contact or plug structure.
Because in terminating coaxial cable, existing connector configurations introduce abrupt diametric changes to one or both cable conductors, an impedance mismatch between the termination and the characteristic impedance of the cable results. Many connector designs attempt to compensate for this mismatch in a variety of fashions. One typical way of compensating is to provide an air dielectric within the connector body. It is therefore desirable for connector plugs or jacks to provide means for compensating for the impedance mismatch introduced by the cable termination.